Closure cork structure



y 9 A.- L. MEROLLERIY 2,249,022

CLOSURE CORK STRUCTURE Filed April 10, 1937 i: 1 Li:

Patented July 15, 1941 CLOSURE CORK STRUCTURE Augustus L. Merolle, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Empire Metal Cap 00. Inc., Brooklyn, N. 'Y., a corporation of New York Application April 10, 1937, Serial No. 136,041

1 Claim.

This invention relates to receptacle closures comprising corks having metal tops, and by cork is meant any device insertable. in' an orifice to close the same regardless of the material which may be rubber,-wood or other suitable material as'well as the bark of the cork oak.

The main object of the invention is to provide a metal cork. top which can be simply and inexpensively made and which will function efiiciently in combination with the cork.

A further object of the invention is to provide a metal cork top having the desired appearance as regards dimensions and form.

A further object of the invention is to provide a plural part cork top whereby the manufacture of the top from sheet metal is greatly facilitated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a top having the desired thickness and diameter made from sheet metal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal cork top wherein the parts shall be suitably supported so as not to be deformed under the use to which the closure is ordinarily subjected.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a cork topof the desired thickness and Width from sheet metal by providing suitably spaced inner and outer walls and an outer portion to provide a finished top.

A further and specific object of the invention is to provide a cork top. formed of sheet metal having a cap portion with inner walls enclosing a recess for the cork and the desired width is produced by outer walls spaced from the said inner walls and the top is finished by an outer overlying portion.

Other and ancillary objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the invention- Fig. l is a side elevation of a closure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, on a reduced scale, of a blank from which the inner or cap member of the metal cork top is formed;

Fig, 4 is a side elevation, on the same scale as Fig. 3, showing the cap portion at another stage of the manufacture and with the cork in position;

Fig. 5 is a central section, on the same scale as Fig. 3, of the cap portion at another stage of manufacture assembled with the cork;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, on the same scale as Fig. 3, of the cap portion assembled with the cork; v

Fig. '7 is a central section, on the same scale as Fig. 3, of the outer or shell part of the metal top;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly'in. section, of acork and modified form of top;

Fig, 9 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of an assembly of a cork and a still furthermodified form of top.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the cork l of suitable material is secured within the two-part metal top which comprises a cap portion and a shell portion. The cap portion comprises an inner wall 2 within which is, located a recess 3 for receiving the cork and also a top 4 at the end of the cork recess.

Punched inwardly in the inner wall 2 of the cap, which is circular and surrounds the cork recess, are the projections 5 which engage with the cork and securely hold the metal top to the cork as well as prevent relative rotation thereof.

The cap portion is bent outwardly at 6 and upwardly at I, the part 6 forming a connecting wall whereby the outer wall I, which surrounds the wall 2, is connected with and spaced from the wall 2, there being an annular channel 8 between these walls. 1

Overlying the cap portion and providing a finish for the top is a shell portion comprising the top wall 9 having the marginal depending skirt I 0, the lower edge of which is turned inwardly beneath the wall 6 so that the shell portion is prevented from separation from the cap portion and the lower edge is tightly curled against the cap whereby relative rotation of the cap and shell portions will be prevented under many circumstances.

In order, however, to more securely hold the cap and the shell portions against relative rotation, indentations II are formed in the shell skirt In which register and engage with corresponding indentations in the wall 1 of the cap portion.

A method for forming this cap may be described by reference to Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive. In Fig. 3 is shown a circular hat-shaped sheet-metal blank having the rim or flange l2 and the crown portion l3. The cork I8 is placed in position and the sides of the crown portion are then punched inwardly to form the inwardly extending projections l4 as shown in Fig. 4. The article thus formed has then the rim or flange turned upwardly and outwardly to form the connecting wall l5 and the outer wall l6 having the indentations I! which is the completed cap portion of the metal top, assembled with the cork, as shown in section in Fig. 5, and in side elevation in Fig. 6. The metal shell portion as shown in Fig. 7, comprising the top wall I9 and the side wall 20 having the indentations 2|, is then telescoped over the cap portion as shown in Fig, 6, the indentations l1 and 2| being caused to enter into each other, and then the lower edge of the Wall 20 is curled inwardly about the bottom of the cap portion as shown in Fig. 2 when the closure is completed.

It will now be seen that there is formed from the sheet metal a relative thick top for the cork which is readily grasped by the fingers in manipulating the cork to place it in the container opening or pull it out therefrom, whereby an easy bearing for the fingers is produced. Also a relatively large diameter of the cork top is obtained giving a greater leverage to twist the cork, and the indentations or corrugations on the rim aid in preventing slippage of the fingers. Altogether an easily and comfortably manipulated cork structure is provided and one which presents a finished and pleasing appearance.

It will further be observed that the top walls of the cap and. shell members are in contact and the former is in contact with theend of the cork. This directly supports the top of the structure so that those walls are supported by the cork and are prevented from being dented or deformed in any way as by being struck or forced as is quite usual in inserting corks in the necks of bottles or the orifices of other containers, or in any way.

Referring to the modified structure of top shown in Fig. 8, the metal top therein shown comprises a cap portion having the top wall 22, the inner wall 23 and the outer wall 24 spaced and secured together by the connecting wall 25, and a shell portion having the top wall 26 with the marginal depending skirt 21.

It will be observed that the central portion of the top wall of the shell portion is a dome-shaped part 28 and that it has the annular groove 29 between the outer wall of which and the skirt 2'! of the shell part, is formed a recess 30. When the shell part is telescoped about the cap part and the two parts forced together the edge 3! of the outer wall 24 is curled inwardly into tight engagement in the recess 30, and the edge of the wall 21 is curled inwardly tightly about the bottom of the cap portion so that the cap and shell portions are securely held together and against relative rotation.

The curved portion 28 of the shell portion, it will be observed. has its edges resting upon the central part of the cap portion, which is supported by the cork, whereby its edges are firmly supported and the arching or curving of the part 28 enables it to resist deforming forces and blows which might be struck upon the cap in inserting a cork in the receptacle opening,

In Fig. 9 is shown a cork top similar to that of Fig. 8 except that the top wall 3| of the shell portion is fiat, lying against the top wall 32 which rests on the cork 33 and with the circular groove 34 in the shell portion top formed by an indentation 35 extending into the space between the inner and outer walls 36 and 31 of the cap portion. Like in Fig. 8 there is a circular recess formed between the indentation 35 and the skirt 38 of the shell portion, the edge 39 of the outer wall 31 of the cap portion being tightly curled in the recess 35. The bottom of the shell skirt is turned inwardly at 40 to secure the cap and shell together but unlike Fig, 8 the connecting wall 4! of the cap is provided with a circular groove '42 for receiving the inturned portion 40 so that it will not materially project below the bottom wall of the cap portion and protuberance from that wall, is avoided.

While the invention has been illustrated in what are considered its best applications, it may have other embodiments without departing from its spirit and is not, therefore, limited to the structures shown in the drawing.

What I claim is:

A closure comprising in combination a cork and a plural part metal top comprising a cap portion and a shell portion, said cap portion comprising an inner wall surrounding a cork recess, an outer wall surrounding and spaced from the said inner wall and a third wall connecting'the said inner and outer walls, said shell portion comprising a top and a skirt depending therefrom and surrounding said outer wall, the top of the shell portion having a circumferential groove forming a recess upon the interior of the shell portion, the edge of the outer wall of the cap portion being tightly curled in the last mentioned recess and said skirt having its edge turned inwardly about the bottom of said cap portion.

AUGUSTUS L. MEROLLE. 

